


A Turn on Horizon

by ARandomFactoid



Series: BrennanBreaksCanon [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Horizon (Mass Effect), M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-07
Updated: 2014-06-07
Packaged: 2018-02-03 19:19:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1755035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ARandomFactoid/pseuds/ARandomFactoid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Immediate post-Horizon, the confrontation with Ashley & Kaidan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Turn on Horizon

**Author's Note:**

> Putting this here -written completely out of order. This is my almost any changes go Shepard so apologies if context seems lacking?

The GARDIAN towers finally engage, and Ben can’t help but but watch as the sky flashes with exploding fires along the hull of the collector ship, absently kicking in a husk’s head in from his perch atop the bed of a battered lorry, his Avenger across his knees. A gurgling from behind a pile of tires distracts him and he flings a weak warp in its direction. He doesn’t notice the shift in the roar, the ship’s engines engaging for lift-off until Garrus announces it over coms. Miranda curses softly, perhaps to herself despite being commed, lamenting the loss of the colonist - and Ben remembers her disregard for her people on Lazarus Station months earlier, and wonders if this is another piece of the puzzle of understanding Operative Lawson, or Miranda Lawson.

Then it’s quiet, save for the scrambling of the frantic mechanic and his demands they undo what they were unable to prevent in the first place. Garrus, Ben loves him, goes straight into C-Sec mode, corralling and subduing the man - old habits die hard for old cops. Ben rises, but stays on the sidelines, keeping an eye on Miranda, who is making her way over to them from the other side of the battle-field with a noticeable limp. He overhears Garrus use his name, and turns his head in time to hear the mechanic express just how unimpressed he is by Ben’s presence. Ben gives him a helpless shrug and wordlessly looks over to the quickly-dissipating column of smoke where the ship, and its victims, once was.

Then there is the unmistakable sound of heat-sinks sliding into place accompanied by by a biotic barrier zip giving away the presence of someone, someones, on the other side of a blind corner on Ben’s eight. Garrus is already reacting, pushing the mechanic down and putting himself between the civilian and the potential threat. Ben brings his own weapon up and gives his barrier a surge, he quietly barks “on my eight” into comms, hoping Lawson figures out the signals he’s sending. She does, quickly responding, “Found cover, pistol scoped and ready for cover fire support.”

As prepared as they are, Ben is still priming himself to not shoot if its a civilian when female voice calls out, “Garrus?”

Garrus drops his gun immediately, which makes Ben twitch - he doesn’t like anyone dropping their guard before he does. So he takes a few steps to his right towards Garrus, because he still can’t see the newcomers, which is how he ends up gun-barrel to gun-barrel with Ashley Williams and Kaidan Alenko, who blink back at him and simultaneously ask “Shepard?”.

“Yes?” Ben asks in reply - suddenly exhausted and too tired to even react enough to lower his weapon. T _hanks a-fucking-lot Anderson. Classified you said, not that we would never cross paths in the Terminus, all chasing the Collectors._ A beat passes, then another, no one reacting.

“Shepard? Vakarian? What’s your status?” Miranda breaks into Ben’s thoughts, but he doesn’t speak, leaving it to Garrus to relay the situation, trusting his assessment more than his own.

“It’s fine Miranda, they’re friendlies - old _friends_.” Garrus confirms, adding emphasis to the last word.

And then it clicks in Ben’s head, and he lowers his rifle. “Hi.”

“Hi? That’s it?” Ashley asks, lowering her own weapon, Kaidan following suit.

“Are we sure?” Miranda calls into the comms again, prompting Ben to cut his link so he can focus. He’s vaguely aware of Garrus confirming again, and that he keeps talking to Lawson, reassuring her, but his focus has shifted to Ashley & Kaidan, who are watching him expectantly.

“Well,” he stalls, rubbing the back of his head. “How are you?”

“Shouldn’t we be asking you that?” Kaidan rejoins, already engaging his omni-tool in Ben’s direction, running a med-scan.

“I’m… fine. Tired’s’all.” his hand shifts from the back of head to scrubbing his eye. “Been a long morning.”

“Wait, look at what’s going on here LC!” Ashley says, turning to Kaidan as she gestured to Ben. “Shepard DIED with the Normandy - and now he’s here right when the colony is attacked? Something isn’t right.”

Ben sighs, and silently debates fighting back or giving up. The Alliance didn’t want them having anything to do with him, all the secrecy made that obvious - but then she shoots him that look, she wants him to fight, to make it make sense that he’s here, that he isn’t dead, that all this was happening for a reason. So he pulls up his shoulders and holsters his weapon. “Of course not, the Collectors are kidnapping entire human colonies. I mean, you’ve, we’ve seen it, happen today. And Cerberus… Cerberus” he repeated at their flinch, “found me, brought me back, gave me resources to stop it.”

“So you’re with Cerberus now?” Ashley asks, flexing her grip on her weapon.

“Garrus too?” Kaidan adds, holstering his.

“Small Galaxy, apparently.” Garrus confirms, his mandibles flex and he shrugs. “Long story, but it’s all true. Cerberus even gave Shepard a new and improved Normandy. Just like old times.”

“If that’s all true, why haven’t you tried to contact me, any of us?” Ashley asks, the anger palpable in her voice.

“We would have helped.” Kaidan adds. “We can help. You don’t need to be beholden to terrorists.”

“We are not terrorists!” Miranda, announcing her arrival. Ashley readies and aims her weapon at the newcomer in welcome. “Cerberus’ only goal here,” Miranda continues, moderating her tone, “is to stop the Collector attacks on human colonies, and by extension, stop the Reapers.“

“Huh.” Ashley quirks her lips into a skeptical scowl, side-eyeing Brennan. “I know of dozens of Alliance soldiers, and at least one admiral, that would have been able to help. Too bad Cerberus killed them.”

“Chief Williams.” Kaidan warns, “Commander?” he asks turning to Shepard.

“Where do you want me to start?” Ben shrugs. “Why I didn’t contact you? I’ve contacted everyone but you, how could I? I tried, I’ve seen Anderson on the Citadel. Hackett’s been in contact. They’ve stonewalled me. Garrus, Tali, Chakwas, Joker… they’re all on board and none of them knew how to reach you. And Liara, she’s on Illium, an information broker and she didn’t have any idea, but was looking into it. I was heading to go see her before The Illusive Man sent us here.”

“Shepard!” Miranda barks at him. “ _We_ are under no compulsion to give them mission intel. This isnt’ even Alliance territory.”

“You don’t think I know that?” Ben asks her, tilting his head so he is looking at her almost sideways. “Or did you forget I’m a Spectre- which lets me employ members of the militaries of Council races? They’re friends Miranda, allies. Now will you actually let me get around to making the offer?”

Ben winds his head back around to Ashley and Kaidan, who are staring back at him. He sighs, shrugs, and begins. “Listen. I know I died, was dead. And now, I’m not… I think it’s a good thing, but I know it’s fucked up.” He takes a step forward, extending his hand towards Ashley. “But, right now, I’m just so freaking glad you two are ok. I mean, everyone has told me you’re alright - that you both made it, doing well. But, I don’t know - it’s real now, and today, I think I got back some of that luck I didn’t have the last time we went up against the Collectors.”

Ashley drops he rifle, takes takes his hand and pulls Ben into a hug as she twists and grabs Alenko’s arm, pulling him in as well. Her chin resting on Ben’s shoulder, Ashley is the first to speak. “I - We - wanted to believe the reports that you were alive. But not… not that you were with Cerberus.”

Ben only huffs, and let his head sink into the crook of her neck, his body fitting between Ash and Kaidan, Kaidan’s arm wrapping around his shoulders, steadying him before his knees even began to wobble.

“Wait, you knew?” Garrus chimes in.

“For how long?” Miranda adds.

“A few months.” Kaidan answers close to Ben’s ear,“but the rumors were that you were with them for much longer. That you were important - that you… faked your death.”

Ben bolts upright, rigid, prompting both Ashley and Kaidan to grab a forearm apiece, holding him still, or up, he couldn’t tell. “Wha - why would I…?”

Neither let go, but Kaidan looks away. Ashley met Ben’s glare, jutted her chin, and explains. “Rumors Ben, bullcrap that since you’ve had so many die on you, on Akuze, the Alliance ships lost during the Battle of the Citadel, what’s one more frigate?”

Ben jerks again, slipping out of Ashleys grasp, but Kaidan holds on, sliding his arm under Ben’s, putting Ben’s arm behind and around his own shoulders, to hold him up. Ben hisses and his side tries to close in on himself. “Ben, did you get hit out there?”

“Maybe…” Ben answers, noticing the wound for the first time, feeling the bullet fragments along his ribs. “Barrier went down a few times, those… what are they called? Fuckers with two heads, hump, and a cannon? Might have gotten hit while we were tangling with one of those.”

Kaidan immediately lowers Ben to the ground. “Why didn’t my omni-tool pick it up?”

Garrus stepped forward, engaging his own tool. “Protocols are slightly different, Alenko. The hard-suit isn’t Alliance issue. Sending you an update.”

“I’m… I’ll be fine.” Ben protests. “Damn. I wanted to be all cool and impressive when I asked you both to come along for the ride. This isn’t exactly the best recruitment spiel.”

“You want us to join Cerberus?” Ashley asks, crossing her arms across her chest.

Ben’s laugh is cut short by the pull of protesting muscles in his side. “No, I want you to join me - just like old times.

“I don’t know, Shepard.” Kaidan hedges, he shuts down his omni tool as Ben feels his suit’s medi-gel system engage, and the stims kick in almost simultaneously, allowing him to sit up again. “I’m Alliance, always will be.”

“I do know, Skipper.” Ashley says. “I’m a Williams - and I can’t just walk away from the Alliance, prove them right by joining the other side. I won’t let anyone second-guess me again.”

Ben drops his head back, and groans. “This is not about Ilos… please tell me.” When she doesn’t respond, only looks away, Ben groans again. “You can’t still be mad! It’s been years! I’ve moved on.”

“And what if I didn’t?” Ashley shoots back.

Ben huffs “Ask me no questions, Ash… your words. Right before Ilos, when I asked if we were ok.” He turns and looks at their audience, then back at Ashley. “We can do this here, now. I got scared, alright. I second guessed myself - but it worked out, I did my job. I’m not sorry; not for getting it done.”

“Yeah… yeah Shepard.” Ashley sighs the last two words, wiping a few strands of hair off her face. “I get it, I have gotten it, and gotten over it.”

“Still working on the Williams’ curse thing, though?” He asks, blinking at her glare in return.

She begins to speak, but Kaidan rises, and with concern in his voice changes the subject. “Shepard’s not too bad off, but he needs treatment. The colony’s coms are still offline, but we know where the doctor-”

“I have a doctor, on the ship.” Ben interjects. “Chakwas, remember? Garrus, help a wounded buddy up?” he asks, grunting as Garrus gives his arm a pull with his usual flair for manly-guy-behavior. Miranda steps forward, offering her shoulder as a support, which Ben accepts with a nod of gratitude. Thus surrounded again by his current crew, he addresses the former. “So, we’re all busy people, important things to do… I suppose. Do you wanna come with… or.”

“No/Yes.” they reply simultaneously, Ash in the negative, Kaidan in the positive.

“Really?” she asks Kaidan, “I thought you were Mr. Alliance Blues, True and Through.”

“I’ll go, make sure it’s on the level. If it’s not, or if Anderson actually orders me back, I trust Ben to let me leave.” Kaidan isn’t looking at Ashley or Ben as he says this, but at Miranda, and she’s staring right back.

Ben throws a lazy salute, around Miranda’s neck, when Ashley looks to him for confirmation. “I’d make a terrible hostage taker - have to keep track of the guy otherwise.” he gives her a grin which she does not return.

Ashley begins to speak again, but has to clear her throat and try again, her voice shaking. “I’d - I’d think about it, if… but you’re not, or at least I can’t be sure. We… were. And now - I’m just glad you’re back. Good luck. And Kaidan,” she adds, turning her head to him as she wiped her eyes, “take care of yourself.”

“Sure, Ash.” Kaidan affirms. Ashley almost breaks when Kaidan steps away from her, towards Shepard, accepting the offer to join him to fight the Collectors. A strangled gasp escapes her, and Kaidan turns back to her, asking her if she’s going to be alright - she’s quiet for a long time.

“Fine” she finally huffs, “don’t forget his crap.” as she turns on her heel and leaves Kaidan and Shepard without waiting to hear their goodbyes.

“What was that about?” Brennan asks, once she’s out of earshot.

“Which part?” Garrus asks, sounding confused.

“Mainly about my ‘crap’.

“Well,” Kaidan says, scratching his temple. “She.. uh.. rescued your strongbox from your cabin when we were evacuating the Normandy.”

Ben blinks, “I guess I should get her a fruit basket, flowers, something… to say thanks.”

“Or something.” Kaidan says. “But can we get you back to the shuttle? Chakwas needs to look at this.”

“In a minute,” Ben defers, “I want my stuff.” He takes a step, forcing Miranda to allow him to turn their position. “Where is it?”

“Lawson and I can retrieve it - give Alenko a chance to run another scan, make sure you don’t need another dose.” Garrus turns to Alenko, “Send me the NavPoint - anything other than a duffle I should grab?”

“Uh, no - just Shepard’s strongbox, and my duffle, under the bunk - Ash’s stuff is up top.”

Miranda looks between the three men, then sighing, transfers Shepard to Alenko’s arm. “You should call the shuttle in for pickup, Shepard. The colonists might get restless if they realize we’re still here.”

“The colonists wouldn’t -” Kaidan begins.

“I said if, Lieutenant Commander” Miranda interrupts. “I don’t think any of us want to have to deal with angry, armed, civilians if there’s not much else we can do for them before getting back to the ship.”

“True enough.” Kaidan aggrees, turning Ben away and getting him moving as the others set off around the corner and out of site.

Face to face, it’s Kiadan who speaks first.“We should get to the shuttle rendezvous. Garrus and your…”

“Miranda.” Ben supplies.

“Right. XO? She has an air of authority about her.”

Ben huffs, then groans. “She seems to think so. There’s another Cerberus guy with us, Jacob, former Alliance, lost a leg getting me out of a scrape. He’s up and about on a prosthetic, but…”

“Not combat ready, but competent. I see. And you trust these people?”

“A bit more than I used to.” Ben answers. “Miranda didn’t know about the rumors, judging by her reaction back there. Only one above her is the boss himself. She doesn’t do devious very well - so I’m thinking this one is on him, and not her.”

“You think The Illusive Man set this up?” Kaidan asks. “And you think working for him is a good idea.” Kaidan isn’t asking, he states it as a fact.

“Oh, I don’t know.” Ben wheezed, now grasping his side. “Maybe he’s just pissed off that I call him Tim. Decided to teach me a lesson.”

“Shepard, this is serious.” Kaidan admonishes. “If Anderson wants to call me back, I need to know everything.”

“For your defense?” Ben asks.

“So I have damn good reason to tell him no.”

“Oh.. right.” Ben motions to a pile of crates. “This clearing is good enough. I… need to sit.”

Kaidan helps him settle, and kneeling beside him, completes another scan, setting the Medi-gel unit in Ben’s suit off again as Ben calls down the shuttle.

“Come on Kaidan, you know the junk makes me cagey.” Ben complains, even as he begins breathing easier.

“You’re still bleeding, Ben. I’m a bit more concerned about that, and infection - you can be hyper on your own time.” Kaidan says lightly, and Ben gives him small smile, at the use of his first name.

“Just glad to have it, Kaidan… time.”

Kaidan drops his arm, letting the omni tool deactivate as he rises. Joining Ben on the crate, Kaidan looks down at his feet, flexing his jaw as he thinks for a long moment. Ben lets the moment stretch, only letting out a small sigh of discomfort as he tries to find a more comfortable position.

“You were really dead, weren’t you Ben?”

“I was. At least it felt like dying out there. I woke up… three months ago? It’s been a blur. And no, nothing in between going under and coming out- so really…”

“I’m not sure knowing that helps or not.” Kaidan answers, still looking at his feet. “I didn’t believe you faked your death… the three of us, you, me, Ash were still comm linked, after that last drop.”

“I didn’t know… sorry - that you had to...”

“Don’t apologize!” Kaidan says sharply, finally turning to face Ben. “It was happening to you, you don’t need to ever apologize for that. Ash” he continues in a softer tone “she muted herself, so you couldn’t hear her... She asked me to stay on, in case you needed… but it was just your breathing, then nothing. You didn’t say a word.”

“Honestly, I wasn’t thinking about anything but breathing. I’m not apologizing, I just… you know.”

“Yeah. I think so.” Kaidan sighs. “But then the rumors started, and the idea we left you out there when you weren’t really gone. That was hard - that we’d failed you like that.”

“Well.. you didn’t, at least you know, for what it’s worth.”

Kaidan doesn’t respond, and the silence expands as they wait for the rest of the team and the shuttle. Eventually Garrus and Miranda are back in com range, Ben having turned his back on to ping the shuttle, so he was privy to their conversation.

 

> _“-why Alenko didn’t come with while one of us stayed with Shepard?”_ Miranda asked.  
>  _“You seem to be handling your end of this crate just fine, Miranda.”_ Garrus replied flatly.  
>  _“I was thinking of you, Vakarian. This is a human colony - and not under the Alliance, the Council.”_  
>  _“I appreciate you’re looking out for me, but I can take care of myself. And since it looks like Kaidan will be coming with, you should probably know its a good idea to let those two have time alone when things get… complicated. They’re -”_

“Nice to have you guys back in com range.” Ben interrupts as the pair come into view. Garrus has a duffle over one shoulder, the crate suspended between them. “‘Run into any issues?”

“No, Shepard.” Miranda answers on the com, sounding amused. “Chief Operation Officer Williams was standing at the entrance to the pre-fab with your and Alenko’s things. When she saw us approach, she went inside and the door closed, with the lock engaged. Vakarian tried to raise her on coms, but we didn’t receive a response.”

“Probably for the best, Shepard.” Garrus added. “I’ve seen Williams give Geth friendlier looks than the one she threw Lawson. ”

“Did she look disappointed?” Ben asks, muting his outgoing to respond to Kaidan’s questioning look, “Ash - it seems she would like to shoot someone - maybe Lawson.”

Kaidan shrugs. “Don’t really blame her. If I didn't have biotics, I’d have my gun out dealing with Cerberus.”

“I don’t know what that looks like.” Garrus pipes in, answering Ben’s question.

“No, Shepard. She looked like she wanted to shoot me.” Miranda answers.

Ben nods and looks to Kaidan. “I was right - she wanted to shoot Lawson, not me.”

“You thought she might.” Kaidan says. “But I don’t think she’d change her mind if you did go to the barracks.”

“Right, but do you think she’d shoot me?”

“No. Look Ben, I get it - it’s been.. you said three months? for you. It’s still been two years.”

“You two aren’t…?” Ben asks.

“What! No! She’s like a sister!” Kaidan responds quickly. “But she’s over it, you know. She told me once, after Anderson teamed us up again, to come out to the Terminus, it was how you left things more than anything. I... probably shouldn’t be telling you this. It was pretty obvious you two were over, but still.”

“She’d tell you that?” Ben asks, an eye on Garrus and Miranda as they close in on their pile of crates.

“You did - that last day before. She broke the tradition of the ground team eating together as prep, and you waved it off that you two were probably busting up.”

“Oh… I don’t re-” Ben says, stopping as Garrus and Miranda arrive, dropping the crate with a thud.

“Oi! That’s my crap!” Ben chides, nudging the thing with his foot, testing the weight.

“And you can play with it when we get you back on the ship.” Miranda responds, stretching her arm. “Do we have an e.t.a. on the shuttle?”

She’s answered by the sound of the shuttle’s thrusters downshifting into landing position.

“That must be our ride.” Garrus says, “You doing alright Shepard?”

“Pretty good. Been shot, mission went fubar, new crew member - as you know” he listed, nodding to Kaidan. “Mixed bag, but could have been worse.”

Miranda and Kaidan both roll their eyes, stopping abruptly when they notice the other doing the same. Kaidan stood, turning to Miranda “So... Miranda, your pick, you want to carry Shepard, or his stuff?”

“You’re the medic. You stay with Shepard, I’m sure you two have a lot to discuss.” Miranda says, absently checking her weapons as the shuttle lands, making further conversation difficult.

Ben shoots Garrus a glare, to which Garrus only shrugs. He brings up his omni tool and with a few jabs lights up Ben’s message indicator. Ben activates his own tool, reading Garrus’ response.

> **10 min before M regrets K on crew - so broke idea unhard**

Ben smiles at the translator’s slip, but looks up and gives Garrus a small sideways nod showing his agreement with Garrus’ assessment. Letting Kaidan help him up, and tests the motion of his wounded side. “Still shot.” he says to no one in particular as they follow Garrus and Miranda into the shuttle.

* * *

It’s seven minutes before Lawson mutters “I’m not sure this is going to work.” as the ground team crowds into the Med Bay. Ben laughs, disrupting the ultrasound equipment loosening the medi-gel from the wound. Kaidan steps in and offers to take care of it, allowing Chakwas to escape the chaotic scene while the machine did its part, with assurances they’d be cleared out to allow the doctor room to work when she was needed. Finding himself laid out with Kaidan and Miranda on either side of him, Jacob at his head, Garrus at the foot, and Tali, Jack, and Grunt scattered on the various surfaces and machinery in the room, Ben said “So, good time to have a meeting, seeing as I’m stuck here, with all of you, apparently.”

Miranda had asked Ben if he wouldn’t want to debrief the Illusive Man immediately, if he was feeling up to it. Kaidan had been adamant on Shepard going straight to the Med Bay. When Miranda pointed out it was ‘Shepard’s Choice,’ looking to Ben for an answer. He gave her a little pout and answered with, “I was shot, Lawson.” Kaidan took that as confirmation to lead him to the elevator, and called Miranda to follow.

“I don’t take orders from you, Lieutenant Commander.”

“I apologize,’ Kaidan responded. “But you and Garrus were with Ben in the firefight, Chakwas might have questions. It would be good to have you both on hand to answer them.”

“Come on, Lawson.” Ben goaded cheerily, “ Doc’s going to poke me with a sharp thing, you sure you won’t enjoy that? My comeuppance for being a smartass?”

“The novelty’s worn off, Shepard. I spent an an extended period of time poking you with sharp things, it was a daily occurrence during Project Lazarus.” Miranda sounded dismissive, but she followed them into the elevator.

“Riigghttt,” Kaidan added, “not creepy.”

“It’s just the truth, Alenko.” she answered in her best level, unaffected tone.

The utterance comes when Kaidan questions the hardsuit, asking Chakwas if it holds to Alliance specs.

Ben laughs, but his gaze, which had gone glassy from the medi-gel, focuses and finds Miranda who is circling around from behind Kaidan, to the other side of table. “Not your call,” he says archly, as Kaidan takes over from Chakwas, realigning the equipment so it can do its work.

There is no response, they’ve had this fight, and it always ends with the decision having been made standing, no matter who's made it. And as the others are all in the room, the crew just outside, neither are inclined to fight it out at the moment.

It’s Tali who breaks the silence, coming to stand at Kaidan’s side, a hand on his arm, the other reaching and taking Shepard’s hand. “It’s good to see you're all right, Kaidan. You are alright, aren’t you?”

“You too Tali, and yeah. Ashley too - she was with me planetside.”

“Is she….?” she asks, tilting her head towards Ben.

“No.” Ben answers, “She’s not coming with. She still thinks I’m an idiot, and really doesn’t care for Cerberus.”

Tali snickers, oddly, as if she had a cold, and Kaidan notices. “Are you sure you’re alright, Tali? You sound… stuffed up.”

Tali ducks her head away and says, “I have a small, what do you call it? A cold. I had an exposure a couple of days ago. I’ll be back to normal in another day or two. Sorry it made me miss all the fun down there.”

“The fighting's been that rough?” Kaidan asks, looking at Ben, who can’t quite meet his gaze with a straight face. Then Kaidan notices the interlaced fingers, Tali’s three between Ben’s five, and he shoots Ben a small smile, and busies himself with the ultrasound device, letting the matter drop.

“The doctor is back.” Grunt calls from near the door to the Med Bay. “She demands to know if Shepard is ready for treatment for his wounds. I told her you seem fine.” he finished in a mutter.

Ben leans up, attempting to peer around Tali and Kaidan, towards the door. “I’m always ready to get a bullet out of me. I don’t think the debrief will be for a while yet. Everyone who didn’t go planetside, or isn’t Jacob, can go about their business. Unless you need something?”

“We’re just here to see how gnarly the wound is Shepard.” Jack quips from her perch atop the back Chakwas’ chair, her feet on the seat itself. “And,” she adds, standing on the seat, then dropping down, sending the chair crashing into the desk and taking a step forward, “to get a look at the new recruit. Didn’t know the Alliance let its boys out to play before they get spaced and zombified by Cerberus.”

“Jack,” Jacob warned from behind Ben’s head. “Don’t. This is a guy we want on our side.” Jacob nods to Kaidan. “I was on Eden Prime - and I’ve read up on your biotics, you might be able to give Jack the biotic ass kicking she deserves. Good to have you aboard.”

“Whatever,” Jack snarls, “come on Grunt, Gardner has some more supply crates he needs busted up.” Jack turns on the heel of her boot with a rubbery squeal and leaves without further ado. Grunt grunts in Ben’s directions, then follow after her.

Ben settled back with a sigh, ‘Someone actually tell Chakwas she can come in?”

“On it, Shepard.” Garrus answers, stepping toward the door, letting the exasperated doctor in. “We can do this later…. if.”

“Naw, still loopy on the medi-gel - need the distraction.” Ben grunts as he shifts again, prompting Kaidan and Jacob to grab him, preventing him from disrupting the equipment again. Chakwas approaches, and Miranda moves away, standing close to Jacob as Garrus takes his place back at Ben’s feet. “So, new crew member.”

“If we’re all sure.” Miranda adds.

“We’re sure.” Ben responds firmly, looking to Kaidan, who nods in response.

Chakwas looks up from Ben’s ribs. “Good to have you back with us, Kaidan, be sure to come by soon so we can catch up… on everything.”

Kaidan chuckles. “You’ll have my med files again as soon as you don’t need my hands to help here.” Chakwas gives him a smile and turns her attention back to Ben, working to remove the de-stabilized medi-gel.

“Now that that’s settled,” Ben smirks, snaking his arm out from under Chakwas’ arms, and putting it under his head with a grimace. “By my count Tali’s heading up Engineering, Garrus the weapon’s systems, Jacob the ship’s crew, and Miranda’s on Cerberus crap. So, Kaidan, want to be Miranda’s counterpoint for the Alliance?”

“I’m not sure it’ll be a full time job, Shepard.” Kaidan says as he reaches over Ben to assist Chakwas. “They might not want to have much to do with me here- I can help out in the Med Bay too, or with any crew training you’re doing.”

“Actually,” Jacob interjects. “I think you should take over the ground team. Reading reports from the SR-1’s mission - the ground team’s cohesion played a big part of your success back them. You headed up the marine detail - had to have had some-.”

“Wait,” Kaidan interrupts. “All of our files are classified, the crew doesn't even have access anymore.”

“You’ll love this,” Ben says brightly. “Cerberus stole them.”

“Why?” Kaidan asks “They have you.”

“We’ve spent an astronomical amount of capital on this project, Alenko.” Miranda answers. “It would have been foolish to leave information as basic as the mission reports left to sit in powered-down archive hard-drives.”

Kaidan gives a small grunt, and didn’t answer, turning his attention to Ben. “You want me running the ground teams, Ben, you got it. I might need to alter my stance on how much you should tell me, however.”

“Come on Kaidan.” Garrus chided. “Don’t let the fact that it’s Cerberus get in the way of doing what we need to do.”

“Sorry to interrupt.” Chakwas said, raising her hand. “Shepard has fragments embedded in his ribs, I have to remove them now - it’s not going to be pleasant, even with the meds he has in him. Unless you want me to put you under for this?”

“No! It’s alright.” Ben says quickly, squirming - a quick twist that pulls at his injuries and makes him hiss in the next breath. Tali flinches, but doesn’t pull away. Kaidan puts a hand on her shoulder.

“He’ll be fine Tali - you know that. But you might want to step back for this, he’s broken fingers before.”

“True,” Ben forces a laugh, “I still owe you two bottles for, I only got you the one, right?”

“By my count.” Kaidan confirmed, offering his forearm to Ben as Tali steps back, “And that’s counting the one you nicked from the wreck of Chora’s Den. Here, just don’t flare and you shouldn’t be able to do too much damage.”

“Is that what happened to your hand, Kaidan?” Chakwas asked, peering up from Shepard’s ribcage. “You told me you came afoul of some wreckage on your way back from a meeting with the council.

“Indirectly.” Kaidan supplied. “Ben did, and there was a… slip when I was helping him up. It was a long time ago.”

“Of course,” Chakwas answered, returning her attention to her work. “Do feel free to continue, this will take a while.”

“Right.” Ben does continue, with a grimace as Chakwas removes another fragment. “So I think we’re good with the new assignments, unless Miranda, thoughts?”

“The Illusive Man won’t like this, Shepard.” She answers.

“All the more reason.” he grins at her. “Have EDI set Kaidan up with full access?”

“Edi is?” Kaidan asks.

“Oh, you’re going to love this.” Miranda quips over her shoulder as she walks out of the Med Bay.

“Don’t worry about it, Alenko.” Jacob adds as he follows her out.


End file.
